The Road Not Taken
by starglow71
Summary: AU. Mary may have made the deal with the demon but she has no intention of keeping it. She has a surprise for it when it comes. Will it save Sam from the demon or will it end in fire? Drama, some language, Hints of Wincest but not much. Schmoop.


**Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,****  
><strong>**I took the one less traveled by,****  
><strong>**And that has made all the difference.**

**-Robert Frost**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**October 30th**

"Daniel, I need it." Mary says quietly, "I know you have it."

"Even if I did, why would I give it to you?" Daniel says puzzled. How did she know about him having that, no one knew about that.

"I may be retired but I do have sources, Daniel. They say you have it and I need it. Please." Mary scowls and looks around, making sure John and Dean are still upstairs, painting the nursery and out of ear shot.

"Then you better tell me what you need it for." Daniel says, knowing this is an argument he isn't going to win, damn, that woman is stubborn!

Mary did and Daniel drove up to where she lived, got a room, and went to see her.

He gave it to her, Heaven forgive him, he gave it to her. He prayed it helped. Just in case, he took up a post in the bushes by her house and kept watch, she may need his help if her plan failed.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**November 2****nd**

Mary sets her plan in motion. Her husband, John, is downstairs asleep in front of the TV, watching a late game on television always makes him fall asleep down there. It's why she mentioned it to him earlier. She needed him distracted for this to work.

"Goodnight, Sam." John says, as he put the baby down in the crib and covered Sam up carefully with the soft blanket. "Love you, Son." He too kisses the baby and went to take Dean to bed, kissing Mary goodnight as well. She had said she was tired and was heading to bed early. He wants to see that game that Mary had mentioned that was on tonight.

"Goodnight, Sammy." Dean says, kissing Sam on the forehead, putting a head to his soft hair. Sam coos adoringly up at his brother and Dean smiles down at him, brotherly love in his own as well.

Mary heads to their bedroom and stops. John is already down the stairs and she hears the TV turn on, softly, so as to not disturb her. Damn, she wished he had turned it up louder! Oh, well. She checks on Dean, sound asleep in his room. So handsome already, so protective of Sam. Such a great big brother to him.

She goes into the nursery to wait. Time passes and she checks on the others. Both are sound asleep, John in his chair, Dean in his bed. It is almost time. She looks down at her son, Sam, and murmurs, "I got you, Sam, I got you. No one is going to hurt you now. I love you." She means every word.

She goes into the closet and open the slats enough to allow the barrel through.

She has the Colt. The Colt revolver, the demon-killing gun. Daniel's gun.

The man climbs through the window and walks over to the crib, his back to her. He stares down at the baby and Mary glares, the bastard is here! She narrows her eyes and aims at his back. She hears him chuckle happily and snaps. He's doing something with his arm now, pulling it to himself, taking something from his pocket, and she shoots.

The bullet hits him between the shoulder blades, entering his heart. The demon shorts out inside the man, orange light glowing under the near transparent skin, showing his skeleton through it. The body falls to the floor and she comes out. She sees that Sam is okay, and no sign that the man achieved whatever the demon wanted to do to him. She looks closely at his arms and hands. His hands are fine and wrists uncut. There is a knife in his other hand though, and she sees what he had planned.

Daniel climbs into the window and approaches her. Startled she raises the gun then lowers it.

"Got the bastard." Daniel smiles at Mary. Then frowns down at the body. "I got to get him out of here, Mary, help me get him out the window. Tie this around him." She ties the thick rope around the body and knots it. They lower the body to the ground and she climbs out to help get it into the man's trunk, shutting it quietly.

Both look around for anyone who might have seen them, but it is quiet and no one is around. No lights are on, no cops around.

She hands him back his gun and he takes it nodding. "Thank you, Daniel, I owe you one. You saved my son." She hugs the man, her old playmate and fellow hunter.

"It was the least I could do." Daniel says, hugging her back. She has always been a dear friend to him. She deserved this normal life of hers.

"I'll keep in touch, since you know, just because we're out of it, don't mean we can't still be friends." Mary said softly, holding out a piece of paper.

"I'd like that." Daniel says taking the paper and smiling, He was a hermit anyway, no one to talk to. It is nice to have a friend to talk to once in a while, even if it only means that someone will miss you when you die. He knows Mary better than that, she will call and talk sometimes. He really would like that, his life gets lonely.

Daniel drives away and she sneaks back in. Mary locks the window and closes the curtains. She wipes all fingerprints and trace of what just happened here away. She picks up her son and rocks him to sleep, singing softly to him. Sam's eyes close and he looks so perfect now. She lays him down and kisses him goodnight.

She goes downstairs and wakes her husband. She teases him that he must be mad at her.

John asks why she would think that. She says because he prefers the TV to her. John pulls her close and kisses her, showing her that is so not true. Mary pretends not to believe him yet and John kisses her neck. Nope, still not sure yet. He pulls her silently up the stairs, leering wickedly. She smiles happily at him, knowing she loves him and this is part of it.

They check on the kids first, both are sound asleep and peaceful. They giggle like school kids getting ready to do something naughty that they are going to enjoy. John pulls her into their room and shuts the door quietly.

They are definitely up to something naughty and are really going to enjoy it.

Afterward, as John sleeps, holding her, Mary reflects on the many things that could have happened if she hadn't stopped the demon. She doesn't regret making the deal, it gave her the wonderful man laying against her, but she damn sure wasn't going to go through with it!

She drifts off to sleep, content she did the right thing. The yellow-eyed demon is dead, her family is safe, most of all, Sam is safe. She dares not imagine what could have happened if she had not been able to stop it from getting to him.

She decides to only think of the good that came from what she did. She feels no guilt or remorse for killing tonight, just a cold satisfaction of a job well done, of innocence saved.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

**November 3****rd**

Dean runs into the nursery and finds Sam awake, reaching little hands out to him. "Mom, can I hold him? Can I play with Sammy now?" His green eyes begging.

"Yes, Dean, you can hold him. He's a little too young to play with right now though, maybe in a few years." Mary picks up Sam and places him into his favorite place, Dean's arms. Dean smiles knowingly at her.

"Never too young to play, Mom." He says smiling and pulls a rattle he bought for Sammy the other day and begins to shake it at him, Sam's little hands reaching for it, their new mini keep away game, which Sam wins, Dean surrendering it then taking it back to repeat the process again.

They head downstairs and place Sam in his high chair. Dean puts the rattle down to help Mary but Sam picks it up, shakes it, and gives his brother pleading eyes. Mary and Dean melt under that look. Dean goes back to Sammy, who smiles widely now, eyes shining with happiness, and plays the rattle game again. John comes down and pulls her into a deep kiss.

"We should do last night more often." John murmurs as he lets her go to sit by the kids.

"Everytime you watch football, I swear." Mary vows and John laughs, a deep-throated laugh he only uses when he is really happy. The boys turn to look at him and smile. He ruffles Dean's hair and Sam's. "Morning, Boys."

"Oh, John, don't forget my friend, Bobby Singer, will be here soon. He's the one with the salvage yard, remember? You mentioned you needed some parts for that car you bought." Mary reminds him.

"I didn't forget. He's meeting me in a few here so we can work out a deal. I think I might add him on as a supplier, if he has good enough parts for us." John says, letting Dean climb up to sit in his lap.

"He should. That yard of his is the largest around." Mary says, placing the plates on the table. Dean takes the seat next to Sam and scoots his chair closer so he can help feed him, Mom said she would let him help today. Besides Sam keeps eying that rattle, he might want to play later. His parents laugh at their interaction, knowing they are somehow losing a spot on the parenting food chain, that Sam is somehow choosing Dean for that top spot. They don't mind, he is the boy's big brother and they want them to be close.

She lets Dean feed Sam, supervising just in case, and she wipes his mouth and shirt off when he's done, taking the dish to sink to rinse it.

The doorbell rings and John gets it. Soon after talking can be heard. It gets louder as the two men enter the kitchen, eyes drawn like magnets to the boys at the table. Mary makes the man a plate, too. She sits it down beside Dean and the man takes the seat. The man's reddish brown hair is unkept but the red hat still sits on his head, which Mary will not ask him to remove. Their eyes meet and a questioning look passes between them. Mary signals she'll tell him how things went with Elkins later and Bobby nods imperceptibly. John doesn't notice this exchange, Dean is showing him the Rattle Game, although Sam won't play it with him. Dean takes it and Sam reaches for it. John sighs smiling, apparently the Rattle Game is just for them two. He'll find another game to play with Sam, he's sure there's something he'll like.

Bobby eventually holds Sam and notices that Dean is not taking his eyes off Bobby or Sam the whole time, a protective look that is hard and frightening to see on a child's face but not one he hasn't seen before. He has one and so does Mary, and so do all the others like them.

It is a Hunter's look.

He sees the truth in that look. He was a born-hunter, and Sam? Well, he will protect that baby until his last breath. His devotion fuels the look and gives it fire. Bobby chuckles and takes Sam's little hand. Sam wraps the hand around his finger, Bobby feels himself falling, loving the baby instantly. "Such a strong grip, boy." Dean edges closer to see what he is doing, Bobby lets him. Dean's eyes take in what his brother is doing and smiles, still eying him protectively though. Dean climbs into Bobby's lap onto his other leg, leaning into the table's edge for support. "Hi, Dean. I'm Bobby, Bobby Singer. I would shake your hand but your brother is holding me hostage at the moment." At this, the strangest thing happens, as if understanding what is being said, Sam flicks a look at Dean, and lets go of Bobby's hand instantly, freeing it so Dean can shake his hand. He reaches for Dean's other hand, and Dean gives him a finger to grab, wiggling it to make Sam smile.

Bobby sees it now and laughs, along with the others. There is fear in that laugh, and sadness too. There is also happiness there. They see the brothers bonding in that moment, their worlds shifting, joining with each other's, pushing the others out of it a little but still including them in it.

Later on, Bobby signs a deal with John's garage to be a supplier and John is thrilled. They decide to go fishing sometime, just the two of them, maybe Dean when he gets older. Sam too. They talk about visiting each other so Bobby can spend more time with them, with the boys. They would like that a lot.

Elkins buries the body after salting and burning it for good measure, locking the Colt away again, hiding it in the floorboards once more.

The old Vampire hunter is happy again. The phone rings.

"It's Mary." She says.

"Is everything all right?" Daniel asks.

"It's fine, I just had to thank you one more time." Mary says softly, so thankful for his help.

"I'm glad it worked." Daniels says.

"Is the body taken care of?" Mary asks worried.

"Yep, salt and burned, no sign of it left." Daniel reassures her.

"Good. Thanks again." Mary says.

"Anytime." Daniel says and hangs up. They did a good thing here. A noble thing. They saved a life, maybe more than one.

Mary hands up the phone to find Dean holding Sam again and looking up at her expectantly.

"Mom, can I go with Dad to the garage today? He said I had to ask you." Dean gave her his most appealing smile, the distant ancestor to his "I'm so Awesome!" smile.

"Sure, give me Sam then." Mary holds out her arms for him but stops at the hard look that crosses his face before leaving it like it was never there. She saw that look, that Hunter look, the protective look.

"No, I got it. Can I lay him in the crib?" Dean pleads, love for the boy in his face as Sam pulls his hair a little, getting his attention when he looked away.

"Sure, it's time you learned." Mary smiles , ruffling his hair, accepting her now less important role in their lives now. They were still hers and Johns, so that was enough for her. It also made her feel better. Dean would keep Sam safe now, protect him. Another protector for Sam. Another protector for Dean.

Once Sam is asleep, Dean runs down and hugs his father for letting him go with him. Lunch is almost over and John has to return to work, taking Dean with him.

Mary sits in the living room and sighs happily. Her family and home are safe, it's all she ever wanted.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dean graduates but decides to got to Junior college here in town. He says he's not sure what he wants to do with his life yet but takes a job in his father's garage. John knows and Dean knows where his talents lie, and that is in engineering.

Sam graduates and gets a full ride to Stanford, and his folks throw a party. They are proud of him. Dean comes to the party and Sam runs to him as soon as he enters the door, hugging him proudly. His parents notice that Sam had waved them over to him when they arrived but don't let it bother them, it's always been like that with them two.

Sam and Dean talk into the night, long after the party is over.

They get an apartment near campus and become roommates, to save on expenses. Dean starts school when Sam does, studying Engineering. He was waiting for Sam before going off to school. Sam has said he wanted Dean to go with him to school and so Dean did.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Winchester are so proud of their boys. They looked so handsome in the caps and gowns on that stage. Mary's hair is grayer and John's is graying at the temples. Bobby's is peppered with gray but still showing the brown. Both boys look up to see where they are and wave enthusiastically at them, smiling widely. They wave back, and grin with pride.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Time passed, and both boys got jobs, in the same city. Both married and had families but lived close to each other. Mary and John saw this and just shook their heads, not surprised. It was their way.

When their parents past, the pair closed up the house and eventually gave it to one of their kids as a wedding present, keeping it in the family.

When Bobby passed, he left them the yard. They were alone by then, their spouses passed and their kids in college. They took the yard and moved in. They liked it there. The dogs were great and there was so much stuff to do there. Dean took up Bobby's auto parts supply business and ran the yard like a well-oiled machine.

Sam got a practice in town and became the most popular lawyer there, well, the only one. He got a lot of business. Over the years, they had gotten closer and didn't want to separate, neither seeing it as a problem or unhealthy. Both were picky about their women and both preferred to know the other was close by somewhere. This pleased them and they never questioned it.

Until Dean kissed Sam. For no reason one day, he just kissed him then looked at him in wonder, surprise written on his face. The lack of shame or guilt not bothering him.

Shockingly, Sam kissed him back, surprised, but not feeling guilty or ashamed either.

Then fell into each other's arms...and hearts.

No real surprise there.

They still never questioned it.

They just accepted it.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They say when the Winchester's passed, the house lost all its feeling. It just felt…empty. The feeling of home and love that used to fill it all gone. Even the Impala felt…empty.

No secret why.

They were the ones that gave it that feeling. Bobby gave it that feeling. Now they were gone and it was just a house. Just a car.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Both boys stood in a field and watched the fireworks over the lake. Their hands reaching for each other's. Their hands joined and they stood closer.

They knew they were dead and they knew where they were. They didn't fight it or argue with it. They just held hands and watched the fireworks, fireworks that would never stop, a night that were stay this way forever. They climbed up on the hood of the Impala and leaned onto the windshield. The fireworks booms and whistled overhead. The men smiled, and their hands pulled each other closer. Dean's arm went over Sam shoulder, resting there, twirling a long brown strand absent –mindedly. Sam took Dean's other hand and held it instead. They settled in to watch the fireworks and smiled.

This really was Heaven for them.

They had never questioned it.

They had just accepted it.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Life may take us down many roads and while the roads we do take are the most important, sometimes the roads we don't take are just as important.

Mary killed the demon and took them off that road. She put them onto another and never regretted it.

To her, the road not taken was the most important. They would never know what she did but Heaven did, and they rejoiced when she did it. She received a Hero's welcome when she got there.

The road taken had done more than save her son.

It had saved the World.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mary was always given such a small role in their lives before, so I decided she needed a bigger role, of sorts.

Sure I included some implied, or hinted Wincest in there but very little so I hope that's okay.

I was going for a touching but ultimately better life for all involved.

This is an alternate story line so the characters will be OOC at times, it couldn't be helped.

I hope you liked it.


End file.
